Colonel Neil R. Richardson is the Vice Commander, 374th Airlift Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan. He assists the Wing Commander in the management, training, command and control of the Department of Defense's only airlift wing in the Pacific theater. As the Western Pacific airlift hub, Yokota Air Base provides mission-ready forces and base operating support to guarantee U.S. forward presence and crisis response.
Colonel Richardson received his commission from the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at New Mexico State University in May 1995, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Systems. He attended Undergraduate Navigator Training at Randolph AFB, Texas and went on to serve as a C-130 Navigator, Instructor Navigator, C-130 Formal Training Unit Flight Instructor, and C-130 Weapons Officer. Colonel Richardson has operational experience in Europe and North Africa as well as combat tours in Operations JOINT GUARDIAN, JOINT FORGE, ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. Colonel Richardson is a graduate of the Legislative Fellowship program and was the Commander of the 447th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron in Baghdad, Iraq. He has also served as the United States Transportation Command's Deputy Director for Legislative and Interagency Affairs in Washington, DC. Before assuming his current position, Colonel Richardson attended the National War College at Fort McNair, Washington.
EDUCATION
1995 BA in Management Information Systems, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2006 Air Command and Staff College (Correspondence)
2007 Masters in Military Operational Arts/Science, American Military University Online
2009 Intermediate Developmental Education, Legislative Fellowship, Washington, D.C.
2011 Air War College (Correspondence)
2015 National War College, Fort McNair, Washington
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1995 - December 1996, Student, Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph AFB, TX
2. December 1996 - May 1997, Student, C-130 Initial Qualification Training, Little Rock AFB, AR
3. May 1997 - May 2000, C-130 Navigator, Instructor Navigator, 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein AB, GE
4. May 2000 - May 2003, C-130 Weapons Officer, Formal Training Unit Instructor, Life Support Officer, Tactics Flight Commander, and Group Executive Officer, 314th Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, AR
5. May 2003 - May 2005, C-130 Weapons Instructor Cadre, Little Rock AFB, AR
6. June 2005 - May 2008, Chief, C-130 Combat Programs and Policy Branch, Chief, Information Operations and Aerospace Integration Branch, HQ AMC/A3D, Scott AFB, IL
7. June 2008 - December 2009, Student, Legislative Fellowship, Washington D.C.
8. January 2010 - December 2010, Director of Operations, 50th Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, AR
9. February 2010 - December 2011, Commander, 447th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Sather AB, Iraq
10. January 2012 - Jun 2012, Deputy Commander, 19th Maintenance Group, Little Rock AFB, AR
11. Jul 2012 - July 2014, Deputy Director, Legislative and Interagency Affairs, United States Transportation Command, Arlington, VA
12. August 2014 - July 2015, Student, National War College, Washington D.C.
13. August 2015 - Present, Vice Commander, 374th Airlift Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator
Flight Hours: More than 2,200 hours
Aircraft Flown: C-130E/H
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 1995
First Lieutenant May 1997
Captain May 1999
Major Oct 2005
Lieutenant Colonel Mar 2010
Colonel Oct 2014
(Current as of August 2015)